Display rack for sheet type articles



Sept. 21, 1965 H. BEST 3,207,319

DISPLAY RACK FOR SHEET TYPE ARTICLES Filed July 16, 1962 Inventor Leon. 3135a st 85, wLDm United States Patent 3,207,319 DISPLAY RACK FOR SHEET TYPE ARTICLES Leon H. Best, Galva, Ill., assignor to John H. Best & Sons, Inc., Galva, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 16, 1962, Ser. No. 209,986 3 Claims. (Cl. 21148) This invention relates to a display bar of the kind used to support a rug sample or the like vertically for observation. In my Patent No. 2,023,866 there is disclosed display apparatus that includes a separately fabricated arm substantially in a V-shaped configuration with the free ends thereof adapted to be supported pivotally for movement back and forth in a horizontal path. Hangers or clips are associated with the arm and enable a rug sample or the like to be suspended therefrom for visual inspection in a salesroom.

The primary object of the present invention is to facilitate displays of the foregoing kind by a display bar of greatly simplified construction, including a one-piece rod-like arm satisfying many requirements, and a onepiece hollow or tubular bar configured to produce a highly effective grip on the rug sample so that the latter can be effectively suspended with every assurance that it will not loosen relative to the display bar due to its own weight. A related object of the present invention is to facilitate mounting of the bar on the rod.

Specifically, an object of the present invention is to construct such a bar having spaced legs of different length with the free edges thereof turned inwardly toward one another to afford an effective grip on the rug sample or the like.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principle thereof and what is now considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display bar constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale sub stantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bar element of the display structure, partly broken away.

The arrangement illustrated in the drawings is specifically adapted for displaying rug samples such as the rug sample RS, FIG. 1, but it will be appreciated that the construction in the present instance is applicable to the display of similar merchandise.

Referring to FIG. 1, the display bar 5 in the present instance includes a one-piece bar of an elongated, tubular nature fabricated from relatively rigid but bendable sheet material such as sheet metal or the like. The bar 10 as shown in FIG. 1 is adapted to be supported in a horizontal attitude by an arm 11 of one-piece construction, and the bar 10 is constructed to suspend a rug sample RS, in a manner described in more detail hereinafter.

Considered in its horizontal attitude, the bar 10' includes a pair of legs 12 and 13 which are normally disposed in vertical planes and which are spaced from one another just sufficiently to enable the upper free end of a rug sample RS to be disposed neatly therein in a fashion described in more detail hereinafter.

The legs 12 and 13 at their upper ends are joined together by an integral bight portion 15 of rounded construction, and under and in accordance with the present invention the lower free ends of the legs 12 and 13 terminate in different planes and are provided with inturned flanges 12F and 13F.

The free ends of the flanges 12F and 13F overlap slightly as will be evident in FIG. 2, and the one flange, 13F, is spaced above the other flange, 12F, to define a throat 20, FIG. 3, or tortuous configuration in which the upper end portion of the rug sample RS is disposed to project tortuously into the space 21 that is embraced by the portions of the legs 12 and 13 that lie above the flange 13F. In mounting the bar 10 on the rug sample, the bar is slid onto the carpet sample beginning at one side of the sample and the upper end thereof.

It will be recognized that the flanges 12F and 13F, being directed in opposite directions as they are, and spaced as they are, actually crimp, and in this fashion grip, the section of the sample that is disposed in and adjacently above the throat 20 defined as aforesaid. Accordingly, the sample is securely gripped against displacement due to its own weight, and this enables the samples to be roughly handled and quickly turned, as will be explained hereinafter, without apprehension of a sample becoming dislodged.

Displays of the kind here under consideration are normally associated with many others in a rack (not shown) such that any individual rug samples RS suspended from individual bars as 10 in the manner discussed above, will be available for display and customer inspection. In this connection, the bar 10 is specifically adapted to be supported on a horizontally disposed portion of a support rod or arm which is prefer-ably arranged for pivotal or swinging movement in a rack (not shown). To this end, an arm 11, of rod stock or the like, is provided, the arm 11 having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion 11A and a horizontal portion 11'B integrally joined together by a rounded bight portion 22 at the front of the rod 11. The bight 22 corresponds approximately to the forwardmost end 10F of the bar element 10.

The portions 11A and 11B of the arm 11 at the ends remote from the front end 22 are provided with downturned ears 23 and 24 adapted to be pivotally disposed in openings provided therefor in respective lugs or supports in turn supported by the aforesaid rack. .As a consequence, the arm 11 can be turned bodily to and fro in a lateral swinging motion incidental to exposing various rug samples for view as will be appreciated from the disclosure to follow.

The bar 10 is supported on the upper leg portion 11B of the arm 11 by a pair of W-shaped clips 25 having a pair of vertically disposed outer flanges 26 and a pair of vertically oriented inner flanges or wings 27. The outer wings are joined to the adjacent inner wings by bight sections B1 and B2. This affords two channels C1 and C2, respectively between each pair of outer and inner wings. The two inner wings are joined together by a bight portion B3 in such a manner that the bight portion B3 is concave downwardly while the bight portions B1 and B2 are concave upwardly in the operative position of the clip.

Thus, the clips 25 are adapted to be removably set on the horizontal portion 11B of the arm 11 in the desired spaced relationship with the bight sections B3 reposing on and in direct engagement with the rod leg 11B. This results in the channels C1 and C2 opening upwardly.

As noted above, the clips 25 support the bar 10, and to this end the flange or lip 13F of the bar 10 is smoothly bent upwardly by a flattening die at two sections A1 and A2 in a width corresponding to the front to rear dimension of the outer wings 26 of the clips 25, the folded back parts 13C and 13D lying flat against the adjacent inner face of the related flange. Accordingly, the bar can be manipulated and the clips 25 shifted on the rod 11 until the outer wings 26 of the clips are aligned with the openings A1 and A2, whereafter the parts are interfitted. In this manner, the bar is removably supported by the clips.

As shown in FIG. 2, the dimensioning of the parts is such that each wing 26 can be easily disposed between the back of the rug sample and the adjacent inner face of the leg 13 of the bar 10, and this enables additional retaining forces to be exerted on the rug sample.

It will be appreciated from the drawing that while a single bar 10 has been illustrated in association with the clips 25, the latter, because of the duplicate upwardly facing support hooks 262'6 on opposite sides thereof, are capable of supporting a second such bar 10 which will be on the side of the clips opposite that where the bar 10 is disposed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the bight portion 15 of the bar 10, at the medial area thereof, is provided with an aperture 10A, and such enables a hook H or the like to be anchored therein so that the bar and the associated sample gripped thereby can be hung on a pipe or tube in the ordinary fashion.

It will be seen from the foregoing that under the present invention the display apparatus is relatively simple in construction, including but few parts serving many important functions. Thus, the bar 10 is of one-piece construction, but is so configured as to result in an effective grip on the rug sample, which of course is not of insignificant weight. Even so, it is a relatively simple operation to bring about the desired insertion of the upper margin of the rug sample into the receiving space 21 within the bar 10. The bar 10 is easily associated with the supporting clips 25, and these in turn can be shifted or adjusted on the upper portion of the rod or support arm 11 so that the necessary registration with the openings or relieved areas A1 and A2 is attained. The arm 11 in effect becomes a cantilever supporting the rod 10 and associated sample RS when the ends 23 and 24 of the arm 11 are hingedly related to upright support structure.

Hence, while I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A display bar comprising a one-piece, elongated 4 member or rigid sheet material adapted to be supported in a horizontal attitude, said member having a pair of united generally flat legs immovably spaced one from another in substantially vertical planes just sufliciently to enable an edge portion of a rug sample or the like to be disposed neatly in the space therebetween, said legs having at the free ends flanges that are turned inward toward one another and having free ends spaced vertically one from another in position to crimp and grip the rug sample while defining a tortuous passage for the entry of one end of the rug sample into said space, said flanges having their free ends overlapping one another and within the con fines of the planes of said legs.

2. A display bar according to claim 1 wherein one of said flanges has spaced openings therein to enable supporting means to be disposed therein to support the bar in said horizontal attitude.

3. Display apparatus comprising an elongated one-piece member of rigid sheet material adapted to be supported in a horizontal attitude, said member having a pair of united generally flat legs spaced one from another in substantially vertical planes just sufficiently to enable an edge portion of a rug sample or the like to be disposed neatly in the space therebetween, said legs having at the free ends flanges that are turned inward toward one another and having free ends spaced vertically one from another in position to crimp and grip the rug sample while defining a tortuous passage for the entry of one end of the rug sample into said space, a one-piece arm adapted to be hingedly supported for lateral swinging movement, clips removably set on said arm to be supported thereby and movable to adjusted positions on the arm, one of said flanges having openings therein, and said clips on the arm having portions disposed in the flange openings to support the bar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,023,866 12/35 Best 211-48 2,141,983 12/38 Hawie 21157 2,365,186 12/44 Geimer 160329 2,723,786 11/55 Martin 223-91 2,964,197 12/ Wallace 21145 2,990,961 7/61 Schneider 21148 3,088,517 5/63 Schwartz et al -383 X FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

CLAUDE A. LEROY, Examiner. 

3. DISPLAY APPARATUS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ONE-PIECE MEMBER OF RIGID SHEET MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED IN A HORIZONTAL ATTITUDE, SAID MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF UNITED GENERALLY FLAT LEGS SPACED ONE FROM ANOTHER IN SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANES JUST SUFFICIENTLY TO ENABLE AN EDGE PORTION OF A RUG SAMPLE OR THE LIKE TO BE DISPOSED NEATLY IN THE SPACE THEREBETWEEN, SAID LEGS HAVING AT THE FREE ENDS FLANGES THAT ARE TURNED INWARD TOWARD ONE ANOTHER AND HAVING FREE ENDS SPACED VERTICALLY ONE FROM ANOTHER IN POSITION TO CRIMP AND GRIP THE RUG SAMPLE WHILE DEFINING A TORTUOUS PASSAGE FOR THE ENTRY OF ONE END OF THE RUG SAMPLE INTO SAID SPACE, A ONE-PIECE ARM ADAPTED TO BE HINGEDLY SUPPORTED FOR LATERAL SWINGING MOVEMENT, CLIPS REMOVABLY SET ON SAID ARM TO BE SUPPORTED THEREBY AND MOVABLY TO ADJUSTED POSITIONS ON THE ARM, ONE OF SAID FLANGES HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN, AND SAID CLIPS ON THE ARM HAVING PORTIONS DISPOSED IN THE FLANGE OPENINGS TO SUPPORT THE BAR. 